Aren't you all getting a bit Daily Mail, green-ink-letters-to-editor, outraged of Bexley Heath, anthropomorphic zealot, Animal Lib hypocritical loony terrorist....? The oiks in question might be contemptible lowlifes but their victim was only a cat for God's sake - not a little cat-shaped person with fur instead of trousers. There are lots of rather more serious things going on that might properly arouse one's ire, such as the grotesque things being done to our nation by politicians. Keep a sense of proportion.

If they like violence so much I say let's give it to them in spades. Let's ship the bastards out to Afghanistan and make them walk in front of army trucks. Let the IEDs take care of them and save the worthwhile lives of our dwindling number of bomb disposal experts.

What foul scum we breed these days. But feral trash like this live their rotten lives in this way; they’re bereft of any humane instincts. In the film the Vikings, Ragnar is made to jump into a pit of hungry wolves with a sword to fight with. Needless to say he didn't get out.

Malcolm, a couple of points free from my earlier hyperbole. Firstly what does such casual and pointless cruelty say about their characters? Is there no need for them to be shown that they should modify that behaviour? Second point, is one of property rights. Pets are property. If my car damages you or your property I pay (or my insurance does). If my dog damages you or your property what's the difference? Not knowing where you are I don't know if you'd have medical bills, but at the least I should recompense you for any other expenses and loss of income. And if it's your pet rather than you we could be talking big vet bills rather than medical bills - still your property being damaged by mine. Just a cat? Yes, although those of us with cats have to force ourselves to see it that way. But in any case it goes beyond that.

Lynne, you've just provided another illustration of the emotionally self-indulgent over-reaction I deplored.George K, where did I say annoyance was not in order? But the initial posts expressed more than annoyance – some of them were ever so slightly bonkers…JJ, you are equating the value of a human life with that of a cat – this is exactly what Animal Lib loonies do, when they attempt to demonstrate their overweening compassion for foxes/lab animals etc by committing arson and murderous assaults on people.Julia, "psychopathy"? Bit OTT, I suggest: I recall from my rural schooldays more than a few incidents of casual cruelty toward animals committed by youngsters who doubtless regretted them later, and who I know grew up to be perfectly respectable citizens. Read a bit of Orwell, for instance, one or two good examples.Angry Exile, you really don't need to lecture me about property rights! I fear that like George K you are (for some reason) assuming that because I think you're over-reacting, I don't think this incident matters at all. Of course it matters – it's pretty nasty, and the culprits should make recompense. But don't go way OTT…